Free schools

Blue_Monkey

Anyone have any experience of free schools?

There's talk of one being opened locally. Our area's primary schools are massively oversubscribed and whilst DD is only 6 months old, we were told that her school intake year will be the biggest ever so I do wonder what things will be like then.

So just wondering what the deal is really!

mummyroysof3

whats a free school?

Desperado99

From my understanding, any 'Free school' set up will basically be an 'Academy'. This means that is won't be under Local Authority control.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_school_(England)

I'm not a fan of academies generally, apart from the whole 'pay and conditions' argument (they don't have to subscribe to national pay and conditions for teachers - I'm not a teacher BTW), they aren't as accountable locally (they only need one parent-governor). There have also been some terrible examples in Lincolnshire (where I am!)

http://thelincolnite.co.uk/2012/05/lincoln-priory-trustee-resigns-federation-financial-scandal/

This one was purely financial, but there is another local academy that has ALLEGEDLY been refusing places to children with SEN or with free school meals.

These are both secondary school examples though.... the only primary academies around here are forced ones where the entire governing body has been replaced :eek:

On the whole though (lets face it, I'm massively biased against them) if more school places are needed in your area, then a new free school is probably what you will get (unless they expand an existing school - which is what is happening here), and having 4 years to go before your DD starts school, hopefully any teething problems will have been sorted by then. Plus, if there is another school in your area, it will decrease the oversubscription in the existing schools, so it'll be easier to gain a place in one of them.

I hope I haven't scared you